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Engineering · Engineering Physics Rank #8 of 8

Engineering Physicsat Augustana College

Graduates earn $54,165/yr in their first year — about 10.0% below the national Engineering Physics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $576K; scenarios range from $528K to $587K depending on AI disruption.

Rock Island, IL Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
42 AVERAGE
43
Optimistic
40
Pessimistic
Earnings
$54,165
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.7x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$576K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
57% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Augustana College

Augustana's Engineering Physics program offers a robust theoretical foundation, blending deep scientific principles with engineering applications. This unique interdisciplinary approach prepares you for complex problem-solving, but your initial career trajectory might differ from graduates of more traditional engineering disciplines, especially within the regional Quad Cities labor market. While you'll develop versatile analytical skills, the local industry landscape, which includes manufacturing and defense, may offer entry-level positions that don't command the same starting salaries found in major tech hubs where other similar programs are located. The "Very High" AI risk for this field suggests that pure analytical or modeling tasks will increasingly be augmented. Therefore, focusing on interdisciplinary applications, practical project experience, and developing strong communication and collaboration skills will be critical to leveraging your Augustana education into long-term career growth. Seek internships early to bridge the gap between theory and industry demands.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$528K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score40/100
Earnings Multiple2.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$576K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score42/100
Earnings Multiple2.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$587K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score43/100
Earnings Multiple2.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Augustana College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Engineering Physics graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Physicists
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$166,290/yr
Very High
3
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
4
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
5
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Engineering Physics

How Augustana College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Colorado School of Mines
CO · Public
65
DW Score
$73K
1-yr earn
10.4x
ROI
Top score
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
WI · Public
70
DW Score
$68K
1-yr earn
24.6x
ROI
Same state (IL)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IL · Public
69
DW Score
$64K
1-yr earn
16.1x
ROI
Murray State University
KY · Public
54
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
13.9x
ROI
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
FL · Private nonprofit
44
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
2.4x
ROI
Also at Augustana College

Other top programs at Augustana College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Augustana College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Engineering Physics at Augustana College

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Engineering Physics at Augustana College?

A score of 42/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Engineering Physics. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Engineering Physics careers?

With 52% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $528,390 in decade earnings vs $586,600 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Is Augustana College a hidden gem for Engineering Physics?

After financial aid, the average student pays $49,748 over four years — 75% below the $199,336 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.